VANCOUVER, BC -- Rocket Rally Racing came up a bit flat at this weekend's Lake Superior ProRally near Houghton, Michigan. The team had to drop out of the event with only one stage to go, due to some bad luck from a combination of over-driving and flat tires.

While trying to extend a large class lead established on the first stage of the event, the team experienced a slight "off-road excursion" at over 100 mph resulting in two flat tires on the left side of the car. The team only had one spare, but luckily a spectator happened by in a Subaru. Borrowing the spare "donut" tire from the spectator's car, the team completed the next two stages and made it to the service stop, where new tires were waiting. But the team's luck soon ran out again. On the second-to-last stage of the event, the team had another tire puncture, and this time it proved more devastating than the first.

"We had a puncture but the tire held on to the rim and I didn't realize that we weren't carrying any air in the left front tire. We came into a fast right-hander at the end of a long straightaway, and when I turned the wheel, the car just went straight," says Patrick Richard, Rocket Rally Driver. The resulting high speed accident almost tore off the left front wheel assembly. The team was able to make it back to service, but was unable to continue the event.

Despite the team's hard luck at this last event of the 2000 SCCA ProRally Championship, Richard was still able to finish the season with the Production GT Driver's title and co-driver Ben Bradley concluded the season in second place in the Co-Driver's standings. Rocket Rally Racing also captured the Production GT Manufacturer's Championship for Subaru, with a series of wins and top finishes to its credit.

"I have had to resort to some high-risk driving in order to win against the higher powered cars in my class and take the Championship this year," says Richard. "But I've learned that my high-risk and spectator-friendly style of using all of the road - and then some - and driving the wheels off of my Subaru - literally! - will not result in wins."

The team plans to have the car ready for next weekend's Rallye International Charlevoix in Quebec thanks to help from Subaru of Canada and the Subaru of Canada Rally Team.

Rocket Rally Racing is sponsored by Specialty Subaru of North Vancouver, DMS Shock Absorbers, SPD Tuning Service and Dragon Eyewear.

For more information contact:
(East Coast)
Nathalie Richard, Rocket Rally Boss
media@rocketrally.com
Phone 416-922-9222

(West Coast)
Patrick Richard, Rocket Rally Driver
info@rocketrally.com
1409 Pendrell Street
Vancouver, BC V6G1S3
Phone 604-803-6095
Fax 604-803-6095